A Concealed Heart
by Marila
Summary: There are some harsh realities in life that Seto Kaiba is painfully aware of. For everything else thats good in the world, he has yet to learn. [Seto/Ishizu, Yugi/Anzu, Jou/Mai. Post-series.]
1. A New Beginning

**Chapter 1: A New Beginning**

* * *

Despite being a child prodigy and a billionaire in charge of a multi-million dollar company, the all-mighty and temperamental Seto Kaiba was still a human being filled with emotions. And although he chose to be alone and was firm in his belief that everyone is destined to be alone, he subconsciously had feelings of loneliness that he stubbornly choose to deny. A thirst for companionship. A feeling for a meaningful connection with another human being that went unfulfilled for most of his life. As if he was standing in the middle of a city with people rushing by, feeling like he wasn't even remotely connected to any of them. His pride and ego was at the forefront to all of those vulnerabilities, yet they only became evident when he met Mokuba's girlfriend for the very first time two years ago.

Seto tried to be understanding upon Mokuba's request to be so. He really did. But his heart couldn't help the betrayal and rejection he had felt when Mokuba called the woman 'his best friend' and 'the love of his life'. He thought he already was those things to Mokuba. He thought he already fulfilled both of those roles, yet this woman barging into their lives and claiming his spot was ruining everything. It made his blood boil. As if he was being replaced. That this woman had stolen his little brother away from him.

The CEO eventually developed discontentment towards Mokuba's girlfriend. He retaliated by shunning her during family outings and found her incredibly irritating when she tried to get on his good side. No matter how many times she tried bringing cake. Or tried including him in conversations. Or talking to him, let alone apologizing. It didn't phase Seto at all. He didn't care.

He resented her.

This quiet pattern of behaviour went on for months, with Mokuba continued being blissfully unaware of the situation until his girlfriend brought it up with him one night. The young Kaiba then confronted Seto about it, which resulted in a big family drama that resulted in the Kaiba brothers not speaking to each other for weeks.

It took much thought and reflection - a lengthy inner battle with himself - for Seto to finally realize that his way of thinking wasn't like him. It was immature and wrong. Mokuba was a grown adult and his own person, with his own life, hopes, and dreams and he had to respect that.

But it wasn't going to be easy. And he knew he had to stop acting as Mokuba's father, because at the end of the day, as much as he took on that role years ago when they became orphans, he really wasn't.

As a subtle yet indirect attempt to apologize to the woman, Seto invited Mokuba's girlfriend over to the manor for dinner. For most of the evening, the CEO drank his champagne contemplatively and closely observed the two of them as they talked and ate together. Mokuba really did look happy being with her, and the girl even brought out sides of him he's never seen before. She also seemed like a genuine person who was truly in love with Mokuba.

As time went on, Mokuba's girlfriend grew to become less intimidated by Seto as the two of them eventually learned to get along. It was then Seto finally put his fears of losing Mokuba aside. She eventually got Seto's stamp of approval months later.

That was two years ago.

Since then, Mokuba proposed and the two of them had gotten engaged.

Seto stepped on the marbled floor of his little brother's former room, which is now almost empty. He took one step, then another, making his way towards the colossal window. He stopped, his piercing blue eyes observing the moving truck outside of the Kaiba manor, and watched the way the movers all loaded Mokuba's furniture one by one at the back of the opened truck.

One employee then started yelling at another employee to get a move on.

"C'mon men! Hurry up!" he said. "Quickly!"

The older Kaiba took one step back and scanned the entire room, taking note of the empty spaces of posters that once hung on these walls and the dust-stain that had formed from the chandelier that once had the room brimming with light. It was so bizarre knowing that his little brother had become a full-fledged adult. It still seemed like yesterday he was only eleven and followed him everywhere he went. He idolized him so much.

Indeed, his relationship with his little brother hadn't been glamorous at all, especially within the last few years. It had been like a never ending tidal wave that had only grown stronger each passing minute. And as tight-knit as they once were when Mokuba was younger, it hadn't prepared Seto for the inevitably devastating blow to their relationship that made them butt heads a lot more often: Mokuba's teen years.

By the age of fifteen, Mokuba had grown bored of his responsibilities at KaibaCorp and wanted more out of life while Seto pushed Mokuba to become the heir. This had caused some friction in their relationship and they found themselves butting heads a lot more frequently. Seto had tried to gain back Mokuba's affection, but the damage had already been done and then it was the other way around; Mokuba had shunned him.

It was all but a memory now, and their relationship had greatly improved since Mokuba's adolescence. He still saw his little brother at KaibaCorp everyday. And although Mokuba wasn't working as Vice President any longer and had no desire whatsoever to become CEO, he worked as a technician in the creative laboratories and oversaw all technical equipment, including in the engine and production rooms.

Seto blinked as a gust of wind blew his bangs aside. It was eight years after the events of the Pharoah's unfortunate passing into the afterlife. He was now twenty six and his own younger brother along with practically all of his former colleagues and classmates had settled down in some way. He wasn't one to anguish over such trivial and insignificant things such as relationships, but he sure as hell felt as the odd one out over something he never even gave much thought.

Yet, he'd chosen to channel his loneliness in another way instead: adoption, something his father Gozaburo had done before him, and something that had been on his mind for several years now.

Seto's initial purpose of adopting a child was purely for internal gain; to select a heir for KaibaCorp, a reason which had brought him a lot of criticism from concerned parents who labeled him as an uncaring, selfish man who wanted to exploit his children for the sake of his business. He was also open to the idea of possibly just caring for a child who was less fortunate should the child choose to decline being heir. He also rather missed raising a child since he was accustomed to raising his own younger brother for most of his life. This was also a chance for him to do what he wished Gozaburo would have done with him and Mokuba while they were growing up.

And although Seto wanted to adopt in order to raise a heir, he knew he couldn't hold his breath. The process would have been too long, and based on his experience with Mokuba, he didn't want to force the idea of being a CEO to a child only to have them lash out and rebel like Mokuba did when he was a teenager. He would have worked as CEO until he was eighty as far as he was concerned. He liked being in control.

But Seto secretly hoped it wouldn't come to that. Truthfully, he really wanted - _needed_ \- a heir.

He was due to get a tour of the orphanage soon and possibly decide within the next few days whether or not he was going to go through with an adoption process. It was a conflicting decision. As much as he held compassion for children, his schedule and responsibilities as the CEO of KaibaCorp hindered him from going through with a 'yes'.

Adoption would also hold a lot of sentimental value to him because, should he choose to do it, it would be from the same orphanage where he and Mokuba once resided. He knew this would be a transitional period in his life, one that brought upon new challenges and responsibilities he had never faced before.

He shot one last, quick glance inside Mokuba's empty room before he turned on his heel and closed the door behind him as he went.

In the Kaiba manor's massive parking lot, Seto stepped outside to discover that all the men had already finished loading the truck. He placed his hands in his pockets and walked briskly towards the site where the movers still burst with activity. They all instantly stopped what they were doing.

"Mr. Seto Kaiba, sir!"

"I trust that everything loaded fine, gentlemen?"

"We seemed to have gathered most of Master Mokuba's things," one of the workers said, eyeing the back of the truck with his hands on his waist. "Unless there's something else you want us to move."

"No. I believe that's the last of it," Seto uttered and studied every piece of the furniture. "Very well, then." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a wallet and took out a large sum of money.

"Wow, sir. That's a lot," the man exclaimed. Of all his years of working as a mover, he had never been payed this much money. "Not that I'm complaining, of course."

"Keep the change."

The man nodded then tipped his hat. "Thank you."

Seto returned the nod then watched the movers bustle around and about while chatting amongst themselves. They all skedaddled to each side of the truck to open the doors, then leapt in. The engine started and they eventually drove away and out of sight. And for a bit, the CEO just stood there.

That was it. The last token of Mokuba's childhood. Gone. Out of reach.

He had to admit, it was a little bizarre, and not just for the maids and butlers that tended to Mokuba everyday. Even for him. For the Chief Executive Officer of KaibaCorp who was immune to emotion and sentimentality.

Seto hung his head down, and with both of his hands in his pockets, paced slowly along the pavement, his eyes studying the narrow, brick path as he walked. He had a lot of work to do today. Paperwork to finish. Meetings to go to. A new blueprint for a new Duel Disk to revise.

Instead, he sat on the swing that occupied the garden, wasting time by sinking deep in his thoughts.

It was completely unlike him. To stay still despite his busy schedule, even just for a moment, and lose himself in the here and now.

But this was Mokuba. Someone he'd gotten so used to always being by his side. Every day.

Ten years ago, he never would have imagined that his little brother might move out one day and not need him anymore.

Without even realizing that twenty minutes had already gone by, he wound up thinking about nothing but his little brother and all the regret he has about what he had done to him in Death-T. And the many years prior to that too.

Then, from afar he saw a car driving closer and closer, and for a while he thought nothing of it until it parked and the engine turned off. Seto then noticed a mop of jet-black hair in the front seat. He stood up and squinted his eyes.

A familiar figure leaped out from the front seat.

"Big brother!" the younger Kaiba called out, running towards him with all his might. Just as he always had when he was a little boy. And for Seto, it was extremely relieving to hear.

"Did they come?" Mokuba asked just as he reached Seto.

Seto nodded. "They did. And I instructed them accordingly."

Mokuba, now in front of Seto, sighed in relief.

"Thanks, big brother. You really saved my hive," he said, then stretched his muscles. "With my early morning appointments, there's no way I would have been able to be here with the movers."

Seto's lips budged, a slight curve that resembled a smile. It was incredible just how far Mokuba had come, and how mature he had grown up to be. The younger Kaiba was almost as tall as him now, only one inch shorter, yet he seemed so much like an adult somehow.

"So I came back just to make sure they got everything. And also because I think I forgot to take something with me."

"What could you have possibly forgotten?" Seto asked, because he was pretty sure he'd told the movers that the nightstand was the last of the furniture.

"It's just my locket," Mokuba replied and started walking towards the door. "I put it somewhere while I was packing. I just remembered I left it somewhere in my closet."

Seto followed Mokuba inside the manor and down the hallway. When they reached Mokuba's former room, the pair walked inside and stood in the centre. The room was dim, hollow and completely devoid of furnishings, as if it had been abandoned.

"Wow, it's so empty," Mokuba exclaimed in awe, then laughed. "It's kind of weird, actually."

The younger Kaiba then went to try and look for his locket, while Seto remained where he was, not only observing the room but reminiscing about their childhood again. About how Mokuba, at the tender age of eight, a week later after Gozaburo's passing, came into this room and claimed that he wanted it. It had been their first night by themselves at the Kaiba manor and the only memory that was a blissful one.

" _Here_ it is. Thank goodness," Mokuba muttered to himself right after he crawled in a small space under the closet to discover his missing locket. The younger Kaiba then crawled out, then leapt up, blowing the dust off his necklace before putting it over his head and around his neck. "I thought I might have lost it."

He did a quick scan of the room, then placed his hands on his waist. "Well, it looks like they took everything," he concluded, satisfied. "That's good."

"So I suppose you're leaving again," Seto mumbled.

Mokuba's expression softened at the sight. He chuckled, then walked towards Seto. They embraced and Seto found himself prolonging it by gripping him tightly. Because whenever the Kaiba brothers hugged before, Mokuba's arm were so tiny that it occupied only a fraction of his waist. But now his arms went all the way around it, something Seto still hadn't gotten used to.

"You know I'm only a phone call away," Mokuba stated, pulling away. "Speaking of which, I should be getting my new number today. I'll call you and let you know what it is."

Seto nodded and the two walked outside to the parking lot. They chatted for a few more minutes until Mokuba decided to go back to his new house where his fiance was waiting for him.

"Bye, big brother."

Seto tried to hold it together when he heard that. He knew it isn't a real goodbye. He knew that he'd see his little brother again at KaibaCorp later on today.

Just as Mokuba plopped behind the wheel, he closed the door. He looked up and flashed a grin at his older brother. Then, he raised his hand up and waved a goodbye. Seto returned the wave and watched as his little brother put on a pair of black sunglasses and turned on the engine.

"Mr. Kaiba, sir," Isono said, as he then stood beside him. "Should I confirm the orientation at the orphanage tomorrow?"

At first, Seto didn't say anything. He watched Mokuba's car drive all the way towards the nearest intersection, and only when he had made a turn and driven out of sight did Seto attempt to say anything. He hesitated, his voice gone astray.

"Not yet," he finally managed. "Let's wait a bit."

"Yes, sir."

Pause.

"We must make haste. Go prepare the limousine at once."

"Right away, sir."

With that, Isono walked off to make preparations for their departure. And Seto stood there, letting the cool air hit his face for a bit before deciding to go and join his assistant.

Work awaited.

* * *

The limo pulled up to KaibaCorp and into a space specifically designed for the Chief Executive Officer. On the sidewalk close to that area, there was a group of paparazzi and a mob of protesters waiting for him who were predominately women all holding signs, chatting, and whispering. Just as the door to the limo opened and Seto exited, cameras flashed in his face and reporters with microphones fought to be the first ones to talk to him. The mob all began chanting hateful words:

"Stay away from the children!" one woman shouted.

"You sick, disgusting monster!" said another.

"You only care about your business!"

"What would _you_ know anything about parenting?"

The mob persisted and yet Seto ignored them and the reporters as he walked with Isono. He had gotten used to this kind of treatment and crowd reaction. Being a CEO meant dealing with a lot of criticism. He had the thick-skin and brushed all of it off; he couldn't have cared less about a bunch of women who opposed the idea of him adopting a child. Their worthless opinions would never affect the decision he had already made long ago.

"Should we get reinforcement, sir?"

"No. Leave them be," the CEO ordered as he and his men all entered KaibaCorp. "Pay them no mind."

The pair walked through the bustling hallway of Kaiba Corporation, where many employees hurried back and forth, and straight into an open elevator. They stood side by side, minding everyone else who was in there with them. It took them up three levels. Once the door opened, they exited and Seto abruptly pulled Isono aside for a brief moment.

"I need you to go prepare the test flight for the new BEW-X at sector 2104. Inform the team for a meeting at 6:00 PM sharp."

"Right away, sir."

They parted ways. Seto walked towards his office. Just as he reached the door, a woman greeted him and presenting him with a mug and a file.

"Your morning tea, sir," she said, bowed as a gesture of respect. "I also cleared your cache and rescheduled all your Saturday meetings to Monday as you told me to."

"Very good," Seto said, accepted his cup of tea with one hand and the folder with the other. "I don't have anything else for you to do right now, so you're dismissed for the next thirty minutes."

The woman nodded, then muttered a quiet 'thank you' and turned on her heel to walk out the door. Being his copywriter and secretary for more than eight years, Miki Tachibana had proven herself more than just a competent secretary. Her hard work, dedication, honesty and willingness to perform far more than her given tasks had done more than impress the CEO. She had always showed up on time, done what she was supposed to do, followed instructions accordingly and never once slacked off or gave him a reason to be suspicious.

He figured it was about time to show his gratitude. It was long overdue, but Seto Kaiba wasn't an easy man to please.

"Tachibana."

Miki came to a halt. "Yes, sir?"

"Expect a raise on your next paycheck," the CEO said, taking a small sip of tea. He felt like being nice for once, and that was his own, way of saying 'You do good work for my company. Keep it up.'

A slow, but light smile formed on Miki's face. She tried her hardest not to freak out or sound overexcited.

"Yes, sir," she said quietly. The secretary then bowed to show her appreciation. "Thank you, sir."

Miki exited the room, leaving Seto alone in his office. He took a sip of tea then looked over his schedule for the day.

He spent the next hour wading through never-ending paperwork from yesterday and sorting through everything before moving to the next item on his list: a meeting with his creative team at 2:00 in the afternoon.

Suddenly, there was a knock on his door. Before Seto could even ask who it was, his younger brother entered.

The young Kaiba grinned. "Did you think you would be getting rid of me that easy?"

"Didn't you have to stay with the moving truck?" Seto asked, surprised.

"Oh, it's fine. The fiance said she'd take care of the rest," Mokuba said as he paced towards Seto's desk, holding up what appeared to be an orange file. "Anyway, I mostly came by to drop this off." He plopped the file on Seto's desk. "It's the finished blueprint for the Big Project."

Seto picked up the package Mokuba had placed on his desk. He opened it and took out a blue roll of paper. Unrolling it, he scanned the contents, then looked up at his younger brother. "Did you look over it like I told you to?"

"I did. It didn't need much tweaking though," Mokuba replied, hovering over Seto's shoulder. He pointed at top corner. "I just made some small edits here and there. There were a couple of typos I fixed too. Nothing too big or drastic."

The two brothers spent the next few minutes reviewing the blueprint and discussing how they were going to carry on with their current project; Duel Academy.

Seto always had a desire to open his own school. He'd held several meetings, hired only the best architects and interior designers in Japan, and assembled what he thought was a top-notch creative team in order to pursue this dream project. It had been a lengthy process and an ambitious one at that, one that would expand KaibaCorp as a company, improve their reputation in the gaming industry and present more opportunities.

The blueprint Seto held in his hand was the final design and Mokuba was a part of the creative process too. It was a personal project for both of them. A partnership that stood the test of time. A formidable yet a rewarding act that bonded the two of them even closer together.

"Alright," Seto said, satisfied. "Thanks."

Mokuba nodded. "Sure."

Suddenly, his cellphone rang. Upon reaching into his pocket and pulling it out, Mokuba realized that it was a message from his co-workers.

"Anyway, I'd better go. The technicians need me downstairs," he said with a grin, then slipped his phone back into his pocket. "See you later. Oh!" he suddenly remembered. "Let's go out for lunch, okay? Call my cell after five. We'll go to Chunkie Burgers."

Seto paused. He looked down at the large, blue sheet of paper. "You know how I feel about fast food places."

"I know. But this one has really good stuff. You really need to try them!" Mokuba said. "Don't pass out on this one, okay? Come with me! I promise the food will taste good."

Seto thought about it as he rearranged some documents on his desk. Finally, he looked up and gave his younger brother a half-smile. "Alright."

Mokuba grinned then turned and walked out of the office. Seto gazed at the spot where his younger brother stood moments earlier and suddenly he felt grateful. Because, as much as Mokuba had grown and developed his own sense of individuality, he was still his little brother.

He still cared. He was still in his life. And that meant more to Seto than anything else in the entire world.

* * *

 **A/N:** It feels so surreal to finally have the first chapter of my long-awaited project up! This story has been in development for about a year and a half, and I'm so happy and relieved to finally be wrapping everything up this year. :D This is also my first time writing Kaiba and the Kaiba/Ishizu pairing, which happens to be one of my favourite YGO couples. There will also be two OCs as main characters, but I promise its mainly a Kaiba-centric fanfic. :)

Just as a warning; the rating will change due to some mature content in later chapters. I'm keeping this story as T-rated for now because M-rated stories don't show up in the search engine here, sadly.

Also, big thank you to my beta-reader, Bara, who looked over this chapter and will continue to be involved in it for the long haul. You are seriously the best. x3 Your insights, comments and suggestions means a lot!

 _\- Mandy_


	2. The Orphanage

**Chapter Two: The Orphanage**

* * *

Seto thought he was going to be fine being by himself. He was an introvert and relished the idea of solitude, but it wasn't until the second day of Mokuba having moved out when it finally sank in.

He was alone. Alone in this giant maze of a house with only Isono as his only source of socialization.

Suddenly adoption sounded extremely appealing right about now.

His footsteps echoed as he walked down the empty corridor of Kaiba manor. By his left the great windows shined brightly as the orange to dark evening sky gleamed, emitting the faint translucent light of the sun that was setting through the blinds. It was just about six in the afternoon, and the CEO had just called off a break from work. He was to return to his office at approximately seven thirty for an extremely late shift for a meeting to discuss stock prices. He wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but he knew it had to be done.

He slumped on the chair near the dinner table exhaustedly, his mind swirling of duties he had to complete in the evening. Closing his eyes, Seto arched his back against the headrest and exhaled. Resting his elbow on the table, he rubbed his eyes with one hand, effectively moving to squeeze the bridge of his nose. Working as CEO until he was eighty? Who was he kidding? At one point he'd grow old and wrinkly and would probably need help lifting a simple duel disk. The house was also just way too quiet ever since Mokuba moved out and he was craving some type of social interaction.

"It's just not the same anymore," he muttered underneath his breath to a clownfish in their big fish tank, as if he's trying to talk to it. The creature merely gurgled water and went about its way. Seto continued staring blankly at the tank, wishing more than anything that he had an outlet for socialization. He wanted it - no, needed it.

It was then suddenly he had an epiphany.

All his life, he was convinced that people were a waste of his time, and that his little brother was the closest thing to a friend he ever needed. That no matter what everyone else insisted, he wasn't alone. A mindset that manifested ever since he was a teenager. That he had Mokuba. That he didn't need anyone else.

But now, Mokuba wasn't there.

He was an adult, had left the nest, and was pursuing his own independency. He had a fiancé now, and had plans to marry her and start his own family.

Seto banged his hand against the marbled table in frustration. The isolation was beginning to drive him crazy; as though he was going through an empty nest syndrome.

That was what finally did it for him.

He decided to go through with the Orphanage tour after all.

* * *

 _Drip._

 _Drip._

 _Drip._

Water droplets fell splat onto the floor as a little girl picked up a heavy mop that drenched in a bucket of water, the weight holding her down. She began to sweep, once in a while pausing to wipe the sweat that had formed on her forehead. Stretching her little arms here and there, and allowing her muscles to rest before going back to work. Her tattered and rugged dress was not doing her a favour, as it kept getting caught in the sharp edges of furniture and upholstery while she worked. The dark attic she was working in was so disastrously messy that it was impossible for a child as small as her to clean and wipe everything up.

It was dark, gritty, and extremely unpleasant. The room stanched of a terrible odour that was a mixture of rotten eggs and dead rats. The wood tiles on the floor and on the walls were sparsed, damaged, and crooked. Some far apart from each other, others broken and cracked. Dirt, debris, spiderwebs and other little nasty things had formed and covered along all sides and corners. Piles of books, boxes and supplies are stacked on top of each other in a cluttered fashion everywhere, making it impossible to walk through the room.

It was an old and an abandoned attic that had been used for many years, and it was clear that it had run its coarse.

The little girl hated being there. The dark and the small creatures that roamed around the space frightened her, no matter how hard she tried to carry on with her work. She wanted to get this job over and done with and go work in the kitchen instead. At least there it had better lighting. And the chefs to keep her company.

It was early morning at the orphanage, but it didn't feel like it at all. Not in the room she was working in.

The little girl felt a sneeze coming on, and she stopped. She let it out, wiped her nose with her free arm, then began to mop the floors again. Her face had developed scars and bruises from all the physical and labour work she had to do, even though she was just nine years old. Mentally, emotionally and physically, she was exhausted.

As soon as she took one step back, the floorboard creaked and a rat skid-addled from a hole on the wall and across the room so quickly that it frightened her and she shrieked. Loudly.

Just then, she heard footsteps from across the hall, growing louder and louder within each pace. The door then bolted open, and the little girl gasped in fear. She turned around, her eyes widening in shock. There, by the entrance, holding the doorknob, was Enko Hayashi. The same woman who had reprimanded her.

"What in the blazes is going on here?!" she snarled in a demanding, tone of voice. "What's with all the ruckus?"

"Nothing," the little girl mumbled quickly, avoiding eye contact with her. She really didn't want to get in trouble again. "I wasn't doing anything. I was just - "

"Did I say you could talk?"

"I - " the child tried to explain herself. "There was a mouse, and I - "

Enko maliciously lunged and shoved her without letting her finish her sentence. The little girl fell on the ground, and the broom effectively hit her on the head. She shrieked out an 'Ow!' but the elderly woman didn't care. "How many times do I have to get you to shut you up before you stay quiet?"

Whimpering and feeling extremely intimidated, the little girl dares not look up. She backed up against the wall in fear, feeling distraught and ashamed. Wishing more than anything that she hadn't spoken up.

She should have known better by now. Hayashi had the tendency to berate even the smallest of children in the orphanage. It was pointless to speak up.

Enko glared at the girl, and slowly, but in an authoritarian way, walked towards her. Enko knelt down in front of her, then aggressively pinned her down. Hissing. Like an angry cat that was about to seize it's prey.

 _Shaking._

The little girl didn't even realize that her body was shaking. Enko terrified her. The punishments she was capable of giving exceeded no bounds. She would have even killed her if she had been given a chance.

"Listen here and listen good, you little brat," she hissed in the most malicious tone of voice. "You're not a special snowflake just because you can sing."

The girl feels her heart drumming loudly.

Her hands begin to tremble, and suddenly she felt trapped.

"You're not even that good. I've heard better."

The woman's grip was so harsh and aggressive that the little girl thought for sure that she was going to start choking her to death.

Sweat forms on her forehead.

It drips.

"I will make it a personal mission to make sure your life is a living hell. You, along with that good for nothing brother of yours," Enko spat maliciously. "And every other goddamn child in this stinking orphanage."

She stood up and walked towards the door. Holding the knob in place, giving the little girl one, last threatening look.

"Now get back to work!"

The little girl flinched at the door slamming in place. Her eyes watered. Body shivering. Voice trembling. It echoed through the darkness.

She felt as though the walls were closing in on her. The little ray of light she had left pouring out of her soul. The hopelessness getting the better of her again.

And it falls.

She wrapped her arms around herself, as if it would help against the emotional turmoil she was going through. Tears pouring down her face. She was trying so hard to be strong, but the constant mistreatment was just enough to push her past her breaking point. She couldn't take it anymore.

And with that, she used the little strength she had left to gather herself up. She wiped her eyes and took a few minutes to collect herself before grabbing the wet mop, and started mopping the floors again, albeit a bit hesitantly this time. Maybe later she could call her older brother. She could sing to him, and in return he could make her laugh. That always cheered her up the most.

One day, it would be okay. One day, they would be free.

* * *

Away from the attic where the little girl was working, downstairs in the propeller room was a nine year old boy. He was under a row of pipes on a mechanic's creeper, using the corner of his mouth to hold some nails while repairing a leak. His hand working with his screwdriver meticulously, while holding onto a pipe with the other in place.

He was a rather tough little one who, along with his little sister, were the facility's youngest workers. His clothes were torn, unkept and filthy, as if he'd been running a marathon through a muddy rainforest and got splattered on by a heavy fall of rain. He wore a messy cap, one that was unclean and torn. They were the only clothes he wore, and the only remaining memoriam he had left of his childhood since the day he ran away from home.

Suddenly he heard a group of other little boys running and playing from the hallway. He continued working, once in a while peeking from where he could see the other children.

"Hey! Hey! Did you hear?" one of them said.

"What?"

The group of boys gather along the door, where the boy could see them. They were snickering, bickering, chattering amongst themselves in a conversation about something exciting that was about to happen very soon. It was then the little boy's eyes lit up in interest upon learning the subject of their conversation. He slid himself from under the propeller, sat up on his mechanical creeper and slid up his protective glasses on his forehead. "Excuse me!"

The group all turn their heads at the working boy.

"Not for nothing, but... I heard ya'll talking about Seto Kaiba?" the boy asked, who was standing now and wiping the dirt off his hands with a wet cloth. "Is there something goin' on that I should know about?"

"Yeah, apparently he's coming here," said one of his peers.

"Ain't he that fella who owns that big, fancy, gaming company?" the working boy said. "What would he be coming over here for?"

"Who knows? Maybe to adopt one of us!"

"Wouldn't that be exciting!"

The boy watched the group all chattering about it, then pressed his lips together. He placed one hand on his hip, and with the other stroked his chin contemplatively. "The guy's pretty loaded, ain't he?" It was a pretty obvious statement, but one that sparked a conversation between him and the other boys.

"He probably has his own yatch or something."

"Of course he does. He's a millionaire."

"If one of us could be adopted by him, think of all the money and toys we'd be able to get!"

"Yeah! Yeah!"

The working boy says nothing, but continued listening to the conversation. His interest eventually diminished when the topic changed from Seto Kaiba into trivial subject matters that he couldn't care less about. Only then, he slid his goggles back up and walked to sit back down on his mechanical creeper. The group eventually left one by one towards the dining hall, leaving the working boy continuing where he left off on his work.

Many hours later, the boy grew exhausted and developed back pain from having worked in the same spot for an extended period of time. He rolled out of the cramped space on his mechanical creeper and decided to take a break for a bit before finishing up.

His hazel eyes do a quick scan of the room, then towards the ceiling. Extending one arm as far as he could behind his back, he used his other hand to hold his elbow in place while he stretched. He then did the same to the other arm. As he's stretching his arms, he started walking around the centre of the room to seclude his boredom.

Deciding that he's hungry, the boy thought about sneaking in the kitchen to ask for some food from the chefs. They were way more nicer than a certain lady who demanded too much of him all the time. He decided that he needed the energy anyways.

He immediately thought of his little sister, who was working in the attic. She was probably hungry just as much as he was. He couldn't just sneak in the kitchen without taking some food back for her as well.

There was a tiny desk positioned against the window, with some items sitting on top of it. Just as the boy leaned against it to rest his aching back for a bit, it nudged slightly to the side and two neck collars slip out of the window, dropping onto the grass outside with a thud. The boy immediately jolted away.

"Damn," he muttered, staring down from the window. _Those were probably important... Hayashi is gonna kill me._

He immediately came to a halt.

There is a long and black vehicle approaching. Curious, the boy leans closer. As it drives towards the Orphanage, he realized that it's a limo. It made a turn at the curb and drove in the parking lot. Just as it pulled up in an empty spot, the boy caught a look at the back of the car. The words 'KC' were encrypted on the licence plate.

 _Hmm_ , he thought, tapping his chin. There was only one company in Domino City that had those initials.

His suspicion was confirmed when the door to the limousine opened and out came none other than Seto Kaiba.

The boy froze in his spot. As if a light-bulb had just switched on in his head. Trying to make sense of everything. Connecting the dots. Figuring out how he could take advantage of this opportunity.

An escape plan.

And just like that, an idea formed in his head, and along with that came a rush of panic and excitement.

He tried to rationalize it. Was it worth it? Would Hayashi try to stop him like she did countless of other times before?

Should he go through with it?

Then he realized that he had to go find his little sister first. He just had to tell her about it.

This could be their chance to escape.

"Boy!"

Just as the little boy turned around at the mention of his name, he spotted Enko Hayashi by the door. He clenched his teeth, scowling at her. Making it known that he didn't like her at all.

"Better get a move on if you don't want to get in trouble again," Enko declared in a menacing tone of voice.

The little boy waited until Enko walked out of the room and out of sight. When made sure the coast was clear, he swung his cap on the opposite direction before running at full speed again towards the attic. Enko may have stopped them from getting adopted before, but he wouldn't allow it this time. Not on his watch.

This time, he had a concrete plan.

* * *

"Children!" the cafeteria lady called out, clapping her hands to get everyones attention. "It's time to assemble into your rooms! Mister Kaiba will arrive shortly!"

"Seto Kaiba?!"

"What's he doing here?!"

There was chatter amongst the group of children around the cafeteria: 'Is he really coming here?' or 'is he going to adopt one of us?' to 'Wow, Seto Kaiba! I can't believe it!'

Away from the chattering, whispering and the overexcitement crowd, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed stood a ruthless Enko Hayashi. She had a sullen expression on her face, a far cry from the innocent, friendly and child-loving supervisor she made herself out to be.

In reality, Enko hated children.

She was often putting on a facade in front of the administrator to hide the fact that she did not enjoy working with them. She got a kick out of harassing and tormenting the children who were there. Often derailing them and subjugating them into humiliation. She despised them so much that the first thing she did when she reached the age of consent was get sterilized. She was told repeatedly by her late aunt that she would warm up to them eventually and would regret her decision, but she couldn't and wouldn't. Not by a long shot.

She remembered being little, and how her mother always took her little brother's side, even though when certain situations weren't her fault. How that resentment and jealousy grew over time. But the satisfaction and joy she got from seeing the pathetic brat crying, and her mother being completely unaware and clueless whenever she played a prank on him brought her joy.

Her payback and revenge on children took off from there. She hasn't stopped since.

In reality, she got a kick out of harassing and tormenting the children who were there. Especially two very specific child servants - one girl and her older brother, the stupid, puny little, good for nothing mongrels. They were a pair of singing, goodie-two-shoe brats that roamed around the place like they owned it. It bothered her. They got on her nerves.

Them, along with the rest of the children

"Enko, we need you on the third floor!" the Administrator called out.

Enko managed a really, fake smile. "Of course."

Just as she was about to walk out, she stopped. Her fake smile turned into a malicious sneer when she noticed the working boy from earlier tip-toeing his way upstairs. He halted upon seeing her and gasped.

Their eyes meet.

 _Crap._

Immediately, he ran away and went upstairs.

A malicious grin formed on Enko's face. She decided to follow him and give him a big surprise.

* * *

"SIS SIS SIIIIISS!"

The little girl from earlier who was mopping the floors stopped as she saw her older brother approaching the attic. "Big brother?"

"Sis, you won't believe our lu - WHOA!" he fell on the ground.

"Careful!"

"Geez, Nii-sama… you're such a klutz."

"Hehe. Whoops," the boy chuckled, rubbing his index finger below his nose. "Sorry, sis."

They started chattering amongst themselves. The boy told her everything the other children said, about Seto Kaiba coming here to adopt one of them. The eyes of the little girl widened in shock upon hearing his plan. She gasped. "Seto Kaiba?!"

"He might be our only chance."

Neither of the children noticed Enko's sinister and deadly shadow looming up closer and closer from behind them. There was a key in her hand, and she was chuckling maliciously to herself. _Those two fools have no idea!_

"I don't know about this, Nii-sama. He looks really mean, and I don't like mean people."

"Even if we hate it there we can just escape, like we did before when our house burnt down."

But the girl protested. "But this is Seto Kaiba we're talking about! Not an everyday, average person!"

"Sis, answer me this honestly, how long do you want to keep living in this horrible place for? Huh?" the little boy exclaimed. "Because I sure as hell don't!"

The girl sighed, because she knew she couldn't argue with that. She hated this place too.

More than anything, she wanted to escape.

"I HATE cooking, cleaning, being treated like a slave. I HATE IT!"

He kicked a nearby piece of rock in frustration, which effectively hit the wall. He slumped down.

"And that stupid old hag keeps making us do work day in and day out…"

Pause.

"Coming here was a horrible idea."

"Nii-sama…"

CLICK!

The children gasped, turning around. The little boy then made a grab for the door handle, only to find it shut.

"It's locked!" the boy hissed. "That stupid, old hag!"

"LET US OUT! LET US OUUUUUUT!"

"HEEEEEELP!"

The children banged and banged and banged on the door, yet no one could hear them. Finally after giving up, they looked at each other in concern, studying each others expressions to find a way to escape.

Suddenly the little boy thought of something. "Maybe if we scream really loud!"

"Good idea!"

* * *

Seto Kaiba stepped out of the limousine. As he looked onward, a small gust of wind blew in his face, autumn leaves dispersing and scattering along the path as he stood facing the Orphanage.

It felt extremely nostalgic, as if he was taking a trip down memory lane. He followed the advisor around who was giving him a tour. It seemed that the building and the ownership had changed from when he and Mokuba were living here.

He remembered the moments when he and Mokuba were in here, waiting to be adopted. He recalled walking the very same steps, taking the very same route. He remembered Gozaburo and the chess game that that lead him to his fate.

"This way, sir," said the advisor, politely extending his arm when the door opened, offering him to go first. Seto stepped inside, Isono following him, then another butler. They all walked towards then Reception area, where they meet the Administrator, a Caregiver and Enko. Greeting each other and shaking hands, the Administrator led them towards the lounge, where they all took a seat.

"Before we begin, we'll need to interview you," said the Caregiver.

"Fair enough," Seto said sternly, crossing his arms. "Ask away, but make it quick. I have a company to run."

Just as the Caregiver opened her mouth, a faint, screaming and yelling noises of children erupted from upstairs. It took everyone by surprised, including Seto Kaiba's.

"What on earth was that?"

"That was nothing, sir. Please don't mind that," Enko said. "Let us continue."

* * *

The two siblings were at lost of what to do. They had tried everything; from pounding, to kicking, to screaming for help. But nobody could hear them. They were lost, hopeless, and defeated. The girl's eyes were watering, she was about to cry.

But the boy wasn't giving up. He was determined to figure out a way out of here.

* * *

Seto kept hearing faint screaming of children from somewhere. He thought it was all in his head until be noticed three of the other employees diverting their attention upstairs, whispering 'What on earth is that?' or 'Whose up there screaming?' amongst themselves. His eyes darted upstairs too.

He kept hearing faint 'HELP! HELP!' noises.

The CEO's eyes wondered suspiciously from the roof towards the Caregiver, the Administrator and Enko in front of him, his eyes especially on Enko, eyebrows shaped questionably. As if mentally he was ordering "Care to explain who that was?''

"Just somebody blasting that darn television again!" Enko replied with a nervous laugh.

"Hn... is that so," Seto murmured suspiciously. This woman appeared to have been hiding something.

* * *

"SIS! LOOK! Over there!"

"Help me push this!"

The little girl went behind her brother, as the two of them started pushing the vanity out of the window.

"HEAVE!"

Push.

"HEAVE!"

Push.

* * *

"And why, may I ask, do I have to sign this sheet of paper?" Seto asked impatiently.

"Sir, every potential adoptee - "

"But I don't need to sign this. I thought I made it clear on the phone that - "

"Sir - "

"Enko, just… drop it. It's okay," the Administrator said, then turning to the CEO nervously. "We can just skip the long paperwork if you'd like, sir."

"First off, why did you decide to adopt a child?" then Caregiver asked.

"Because I have enough money to provide for any child whose dead serious about pursuing anything that they want," Seto said in his cold, menacing tone of voice. "If they want anything, I'll be able to afford it."

"Mister Kaiba, being a parent means more than just buying expensive toys and gadgets."

"Spare me the parenting lecture and get on with the interview," Seto said impatiently. "I don't have time for this mumbo jumbo."

"Mister Kaiba, with all due respect, any potential adoptive parent need to go through this interview - "

 _THUD!_

The noise completely startled everyone inside the Orphanage, including Seto and Isono, who upon hearing the racket jumped in their seats. Seto and his butlers dashed outside, and Seto stuck his head out of the window, looking down. There was a vanity that was completely shattered in pieces from being dropped from the third floor. He looked up; there was a big window. There seemed to be nothing there at first. He was about to go inside again when he saw two silhouettes of kids frantically running around.

And then -

 _THUD!_

"HEEEEELP!"

Instinctively, Seto turned around to dash upstairs, only for Enko to block him.

"Sir, there's really nothing to see up there!"

Seto scowled. "Out of my way!"

He ran up the stair, almost pushing Enko to the side, who scowled in anger. _D-Damn…!_

Seto ran up to the third floor, with everyone following him. There was a door to the attic that appeared to have been locked. He tried yanking the door open, and couldn't. He grimaced. He could hear the sound of children pounding on the door.

"Somebody open this door at once!" Seto demanded.

"Right away, sir!" the Caregiver said frantically, who was just as worried about the kids as Seto was. She started going through her keys for a few minutes. Those few minutes seemed like hours.

The Caregiver sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I don't have the extra keys to the attic, I'm afraid. Somebody must have taken it."

"I don't have keys to this door either," Administrator said, who was sweating. She could practically feel her own heartbeat, as if it was about to pound out of her chest any second now. Everyone was nervous, sweaty, and above all scared.

Enko gulped, slowly putting her hand in her pocket. She didn't want to get in trouble in front of somebody as important as Seto Kaiba. _I hate this._

"I, um… might have it," Enko said, then pulled the key out. _Stupid… stupid…_

"Give it here!" Isono exclaimed, taking the key out of Enko's hands. He put it in the lock and fiddled around with it. It took a few minutes because the lock was worn out from being used so much, but eventually, a _click_ sound was heard.

The door swung open, and what Seto and everyone else saw were two children around the ages of seven and eight; a little boy and a little girl. They were completely scared, nervous, and shaking.

* * *

 **A/N:** I feel like I owe an explanation as to why it took two years to get the second chapter out. When I posted the first one, I wasn't in the best place of my life. I was also dealing with changes too, seeing as I had moved to a new place and was trying to adjust myself to my new job. A lot of things in my personal life changed as well, which took up quite a lot of my time. I was also admitted to the hospital for a while because I was sick, which is why I neglected finishing up the second chapter until recently. So I really, REALLY apologize for the long wait and hope you guys at least found the wait satisfying. :')


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